Starting Over
by j-pony
Summary: Logan thought that the virus was unbearable, thought not being able to touch Max was the worst that can happen. Finding out Max has been shot, he realizes he would rather live with the virus then not have Max in his life. But does he have a choice...
1. Chapter 1

Logan woke with a start at the sound of his phone ringing; he glanced to his right, "2:00AM, who could that be?" Getting in his chair he raced to the phone.

"Hello?"

"Logan! It's Cindy, Max' been shot, she's lost a lot of blood."

Panic laced through Logan, _'Shot? Lost a lot of blood? Oh God Max!'_ "Where is she?"

"They're rushing her to Harbor Lights right now, Logan hurry!"

"I'm on my way." He hung up the phone and raced back to his bedroom, contemplating on putting on the exoskeleton. Deciding that it would save more time in the long run he put it on. _'It would be easier to get in and out of the car.' _

Fully dressed he ran, keys in hand, to his Aztec parked downstairs. Speeding to the hospital he barely kept it together enough to stay in control of his car. _'What if she doesn't make it? What am I going to do without her?'_ Not for the first time he mentally kicked himself for wasting that year, it was bad enough that they couldn't touch because of the damn virus but he couldn't imagine how he would go on not having her in his life at all.

Twenty minutes later he pulled in the emergency parking lot and ran inside. It didn't take him long to find the hysterical Cindy.

"Oh God Logan thank God you're here!" She ran to him, embracing him for comfort. They had grown close over the three months that Max had been gone. Both thinking that she was dead the comfort that they provided to each other was astounding, feeling closer to Max while together.

"What happened? How did she get shot?" Logan was at breaking point, and he was very quickly losing control over his emotions. _'I just got her back I can't lose her again!'_

"We were leaving Crash, guess there was a gun fight goin' down, Max got caught in the crossfire."

Logan was about to respond when Dr. Sam Carr walked out of Max' room.

"Sam how is she?" Logan asked grateful that Sam was there.

"Not good, she's lost a lot of blood, too much. Most people wouldn't be alive still, she's lucky."

"Is she gonna make it Doc?" OC questioned

"I don't know, she's lost a lot of blood, where are going to need to transfuse her but we don't have any of her blood in stock." Sam of course knew why they didn't, they couldn't risk her being found. As it is she was signed into the hospital under a different name.

"She couldn't have her blood in stock Sam." They wouldn't make that mistake again though, if – no when Max pulled through this he was going to stock up, and keep it safe at his place.

"I know Logan it's just that normal blood probably won't do it, she was made to recuperate quickly but she needs her "revved-up" blood to do it. Now unless you know any other people like her it doesn't look good."

Logan collapsed in a chair, 'It doesn't look good, God no Max please don't die on me.' He was about to tell Sam to try with "normal" blood when he heard his name being called from down the hall.

"Logan! Logan!" Alec was running down the hall towards Logan and Cindy as fast as he could without going "super speed". "Where's Max? I just saw Sketchy and he told me she got shot. She okay?"

"Alec, thank God!" Both Logan and Cindy said in unison.

He was taken back, _'Logan's happy to see ME?'_

"I need you're help Alec, no Max needs your help Alec. She's lost a lot of blood, too much for a normal transfusion to work."

"So she needs my blood?" Logan, Cindy and Sam both nodded, "Of course where do I need to go?" Max had saved his butt many times, even screwing up her chance of getting the virus cured to save him; he at least could give her a little blood.

"This way, Alec was it?" Dr. Carr asked, Alec nodded, "She's in here, if you want to sit on that chair a roll your sleeve up I'll just be a second.

Sam Carr walked back out of Max' room to talk to Logan before getting started, "Logan sit here we will know soon if this is going to work, you just need to relax."

Logan nodded dumbly and did what he was told barely noticing Sam walk back into the room and shut the door. He was so preoccupied with his worries about Max he didn't hear Cindy trying to comfort him or the nurse ask if they needed anything. He just couldn't believe that he might lose her again.

An hour later Sam walked back out the room, both Logan and Cindy shot out of their seats with questioning looks on their faces. "We will know in a few minutes, we just need to give the blood time to get into her system. Now I have to go get Alec some food, he's pretty weak. Don't go in there until I get back."

With that Sam turned and headed down the hall. Logan let out a deep breath, trying to relax when he heard a bang from Max' room and saw Alec stumble out. He looked at Logan with un-Alec-like tears in his eyes, and managed to gasp "Max!" before he collapsed on the floor.

Disobeying Sam, giving into the fear that laced through him, he ran into Max' room, deathly afraid of what he was going to find.


	2. Chapter 2

Logan couldn't believe his eyes; Max was starting to wake up! ALREADY! _'This is impossible it wouldn't work this quickly. Even if it did she wouldn't be waking up now, would she? It is special "revved-up' blood.' _He didn't care Max was going to be okay! It was all he could do to not rush over and touch her. He started to curse the virus again when he remembered; _'Max is okay the virus is something I can deal with.'_

A wave of guilt washed over him, Alec was lying unconscious behind him and he had forgotten because of his panic of Max. He turned to see if Alec was okay, Alec was sitting up looking a lot better. _'Must be the transgenic in him'_

"You okay boo?" OC asked Alec.

Alec gave a little nod trying to shake off the dizziness he was experiencing. "Max, she's going to be okay!"

Logan walked over to the bed that Max was in and studied her; she was slowly coming back to consciousness. He sat down in the chair beside her careful not to touch her. "Oh God Max, you had me so scared I thought I was going to lose you. I don't know what I would do if I lost you," He whispered only for her. He lifted his had to touch her forgetting momentarily about the virus, his hand almost reached hers when Dr. Carr came back in. "LOGAN!"

He snapped his hand back and looked up at Sam with fear in his eyes. _'I almost killed myself…' _

"I thought I said that no one was to come in here until I got back." Sam was annoyed he figured that Logan would have at least had enough respect to follow his instructions.

"I wasn't going to come in here until we heard a smash and Alec came out. He said Max' name and I thought that something bad had happened."

The conversation got cut off by the sound of a weak voice saying, "Logan?"

Both men turned their attention back to the bed to see Max awake. "How is that possible? You just lost a lot of blood, how are you awake already?"

She smiled and stated, "That's the way I was made." Turning her gaze back to Logan she asked, "What are you doing here?"

"You were shot Max; did you really think I wouldn't come?"

She shook her head, "Of course not but how did you find out that I was shot?"

"I called him boo, I figured he outta know." Cindy said as she walked across the room to give Max a gentle hug, "Glad you're okay boo, didn't know what I would do wit' out my best boo."

"OC sorry for giving ya such a scare back there, guess I got a target on me." Max smiled trying to get everyone to stop worrying so much.

Recovering enough strength to get up and join the rest of them around the bed, Alec joked, "Hey Maxie, nice to see you alive,"

"Guess I know who my transgenic savior is."

Alec leaned down and gave her a hug, "You really gave us a scare Maxie."

"I'll try to dodge next time kay?" She laughed, and then suddenly started convulsing.

Dr. Carr sprung into action immediately, rushing her worried friends out of the room and paging the nurses.

Alec and Cindy had to pull Logan from the room and physically stop him from breaking back in.

"No I can't lose her again, Sam don't let her die!"

They finally got Logan to calm down a little and sat him in the chair he had occupied earlier. _'Not again I can't take this.'_ He was so worried about Max he did something that he hadn't done in a long time, since the day he lost the use of he legs, he prayed.

'_God please don't let her die, she just can't die. Not only for me but for everyone else too, there are not enough people in this world like her. The world needs her…I need her. Please God don't let her die…'_

They sat for what seemed like hours for the second time that night, all waiting for and dreading seeing that door open and the doctor walk out.


	3. Chapter 3

They all shot up out of their seats for the second time that night as Sam walked out of room.

"Is she alright Sam?" Logan asked

"It's still touch and go right now, for some reason her body is rejecting Alec's blood. I don't understand it because you said they were built as universal donors, it must be that something has changed their makeup while they have been out in the world. But either way her body is fighting Alec's blood. We may have to transfuse her a few more times and force her body to take the blood. It's going to be a long and gruesome process, not to mention that she is unconscious at the moment so she can't give me permission to go ahead with anything."

"What happens if she don't wake up Doc? Are you just gonna let her die?"

"Of course not, but I don't know who she gave the power to make these decisions to. It would be in her file, I'm going to go take a look. Again I am going to stress, do not go in there." Sam turned on his heel and headed down the hall.

Logan started pacing, silently grateful that he had put the exoskeleton on.

"Logan it's going to be okay, I'll give her as much blood as she needs. She will be okay."

"I just hope that the transfusions work, I can't bear the thought of losing her. We wasted so much time last year, and then this stupid virus happened. Even then we thought that we had all the time in the world, that we would have lots of time to fix the virus. Now she is lying in there dieing and my promise to fix this virus has gone undone and…and…she's dieing…" Logan collapsed on the floor his emotions finally overtaking him. Tears streaming down his face he puts his head in his hands, not bothering to conceal his tears. He just doesn't care anymore, _'nothing in this world matters if she's not in it.'_

Cindy leaned down and put her hand on Logan's shoulder, "It's going to be okay Logan, and she's going to be okay. She's strong remember, a fighter."

Sam came down the hall, Max' file in hand, "Well Logan it looks like she's put you in charge of the decisions. Not surprising considering…"

"Me? She put in charge of her life altering decisions? When?" Logan was shocked, he knew that Max cared for him, but to trust him to make the right decisions for her, it was just too much for him to comprehend at the moment.

"Last time she was in here, for the gun shot last year."

"What are you going to do Logan, you gonna let me give her more blood."

"If that's what Sam thinks is going to save her then that's what we are going to do."

"Okay if that's what you want, if you are up for it Alec I'd like to try again."

"I'm good; I was made to recover quickly."

"Okay then go in a get ready again, and Logan I suggest that you go home and get some rest I'll call and let you know if there's any change." Knowing that his advice would be ignored he turned and went back into the room.


	4. Chapter 4

Two weeks and five blood transfusions later Max had begun to recuperate. She was awake and getting better everyday.

Logan walked into the room to find her sitting up looking out the window, "Planning your escape?"

She turned to look at him and gave him a radiant smile, "No but I'd really like out of here."

"Soon Max Sam said that you should be well enough to be released by the end of the week. How are you feeling?"

"Good, Alec-like but good." She joked.

"Alec-like?"

"Well it is most of his blood that's running around in my body now." She laughed.

"That's okay you still look like Max, oh wait is that the beginnings of a beard?" Logan joked, leaning closer as if to inspect her new facial hair.

"Watch out Mr. Cale, you know what they say about Karma."

"No, what do they say?"

"Uh…that it's bad?" She had no idea what they say about Karma, she just remembered Original Cindy saying it to Normal one time at Jam Pony.

"Haha I don't quite think that's what they say, good try though."

Max smiled, _'I missed this, Logan and me joking like we used to. 'Bout time we got this back, too bad it took me getting shot for it to happen.'_ "So when did the Doc say I was getting out of here?" She had been confined for two weeks; it was starting to get to her.

"By the end of the week."

"But that's four more days Logan." She was whining she knew it but she didn't want to be stuck there for that much longer. "Can't you talk to Sam and get him to let me out say tomorrow?"

"Don't you think you're rushing this, what happens if you get released and do something to hurt yourself again?"

"You wouldn't let me do that."

"And I'm supposed to follow you around all the time to make sure that you don't. What about the life that I do have."

"Well I'll get Cindy to then, so you can get on with your life." She was hurt; she didn't think that he would have minded taking care of her. _'Guess he's moved on, can't say that I blame him.'_

"I was more talking about you staying at the penthouse with me so I don't have to travel across town everyday, but if you would rather Cindy look after you that's fine." He wasn't going to bite on the "get on with your life" comment, he had just gotten her back for the second time he wasn't going to ruin his happiness with an argument.

"The penthouse huh? Want me around all the time, don't ya think you'd get sick of me after a while." She was back in her good mood now that she realized that Logan did want to take care of her.

"Never, that's impossible." Logan stated with a little too much passion for his liking. They knew how each other felt, but since the virus it was a painful subject to talk about.

"Well in that case, go play hero and rescue me from this place." She was filled with a happiness she thought she'd never feel again after the virus, Logan still loved her! _'There's still a reason to get rid of this thing!'_

"Yes, Milady," Logan said leaving the room to do her bidding, excitement bubbling from him. _'I can't wait to take her home with me. Too bad it's not permanent.'_


	5. Chapter 5

The next day after a multitude of tests and Sam telling them to be careful for the millionth time they were finally in the elevator riding up to Logan's penthouse. Both were eager for the doors to open, Max because she wanted to get out of the damned wheelchair that Logan and Sam had insisted on and get in a nice warm bath, Logan because he was finally getting to bring her home with him. It felt so right like things were finally starting to go the way they were supposed to. Like all was finally right in this world, he was so happy about having her live with him, at least for a while he almost forgot about the virus that was keeping them apart.

Finally the elevator doors opened, Logan grabbed on to the handles of her wheelchair ready to push her in the door and help her get settled. "Logan, I can do it ya know."

"I know Max, I was just trying to help, you know the way you were always trying to help me when I was in the chair."

"You mean the help that you always refused."

Logan blushed but still didn't let go of her chair, she finally needed his help, needed to be taken care of and he wasn't about to let that slip by. "Yes exactly, that help."

Max sighed but couldn't deny that it felt good to be taken care of, especially by Logan, "Fine I give up, you win you can be my hero again today."

Logan stopped only to unlock the door, and continued to push Max in, "What do you want to do first, eat?"

"Actually I was hoping to take a bath, I smell like hospital."

"Well how about I run you a bath and then while you soak I start some dinner?"

"That sounds great Logan; it's been a while since I had a Cale masterpiece." Logan blushed, _'Awww he looks so cute when he blushes, stop Max don't go there. It's too painful.'_ But she couldn't help herself, being back in his apartment, with him close enough that she could almost feel the heat coming off his body, it was hard to pretend that there was nothing there, that she didn't feel anything.

Logan rolled her into the bathroom and turned the water on, lost completely in his thoughts. _'God she is so beautiful, what I wouldn't give to get in that bath with her, hell what I wouldn't give to just hold her in my arms,'_ "Is that too hot for you?"

She leaned forward to test the temperature of the water, "No it's perfect, thanks."

"Do you need any help getting-?" Logan blushed, _'Did I actually just ask her if she needed help taking her clothes off and taking a bath? God Cale you're losing it.'_

"I'm fine Logan, and even if I did need help, you couldn't really…" She cut herself off at the pained look on his face, he didn't need to be reminded that he couldn't touch her, _'God Max could you be more stupid?'_ she berated herself.

"Sorry Max, I didn't mean to, I-I just want to help you."

"I know Logan, believe me I do. One day right?" She didn't know who she was trying to reassure herself or Logan but it didn't matter because he gave her a hopeful smile and she didn't need to know her reasoning.

"I'll go get dinner started; I'll leave some of my old clothes outside the door or you. You can wear them until Cindy brings your stuff over."

"Thanks again Logan," She said as he was closing the bathroom door.

She slowly and carefully started undressing and lowered herself into the tub. _'God this feels good, how long has it been since I've had a nice hot bath.'_ She relaxed in the tub listening to Logan move around the house. _'God he's so cute wanting to take care of me and stuff, don't have many people in my life that I can say that about. I guess I have a few more than I thought I did, Cindy seemed pretty upset about me getting shot, and Alec I guess saved my life by giving me his blood. Guess I kinda owe him a thank you.' _Her thoughts started slowing as she was drifting off to sleep in the warm comfort of the tub.

She woke close to an hour later to the smell of something delicious coming from the kitchen, stomach growling she decided to get out of the tub to go investigate the wonderful smells.

Looking around for a towel, she realized with dismay that they had forgotten to bring one in. Blushing bright red she realized that she was going to have to all Logan in. _'Damn not the way I wanted him to see me naked for the first time.'_ "LOGAN!" She hollered.

Lost in his own thoughts it took him a moment to realize that Max was calling his name, running to the bathroom he threw open the door, frantically looking for the catastrophe he was sure was happening. Instead all he saw was a very naked, blushing Max doing the best she could to cover herself in her injured state. "Uh sorry Max, I-I-I thought you called my name." Logan stammered looking away.

"I did, I don't have a towel."

"OH! I-I'll go get you one." Logan rushed out of the bathroom as quickly as he could without showing just how undone he was. He walked back into the bathroom with his gaze averted holding the towel out in front of him.

"Just a sec Logan let me get up," she added seeing the deep blush on his face, "Just close your eyes or something."

Logan closed his eyes but the image of Max naked in his tub didn't leave his mind. The sound of her getting up and the water rushing over her body wasn't helping the fantasy that was playing through his mind. He felt the towel being tugged out of his hand and let go, keeping his eyes closed until she told him different.

"Okay Logan, you can open your eyes now." He opened them and saw her wrapped in the towel sitting back in the wheelchair.

"Um… sorry about barging in, I thought that something bad must have happened when you hollered my name." He still couldn't quite meet her eyes, the embarrassment, and image of her naked still fresh in his mind.

"It's okay; I thought that you would panic after I hollered. It's no big deal." She couldn't help the jolt of pleasure that swept through her at seeing Logan's reaction to her nakedness. Taking pity on him, she added, "The food smells good what are you cooking?"

"Nothing fancy, just spaghetti."

"Well it smells amazing."

He handed her a shirt and sweat pants, "Here go put these on, they're old ones of mine, then you can eat."

She smiled at him as he left the bathroom once again, putting the clothes on as quickly as her injured body could handle, she headed out to eat the dinner that he made for her.


	6. Chapter 6

She headed for the kitchen, walking carefully after she decided to ditch the wheelchair. At the sound of her approach Logan turned around to tell her to go over to the table that he had made a spot for the chair when he noticed that she wasn't in the chair.

Frowning he said, "Max you really shouldn't be walking around yet. I know your "special" but you still have to be careful."

Smiling she said, "Relax Logan, I'll be fine." Sitting carefully on the chair in front of the table she added, "I heal fast remember."

"I just don't want to see you back in the hospital."

"I know and that's why I came to stay with you, you won't let me do stupid stuff like hop on my baby and go for a ride." Not that she was stupid enough to actually do that, she just liked the look that Logan made.

"That's not funny; if you keep this up I'm going to take you back to the hospital missy."

"Yes Sir!" She saluted.

Logan sat the plates down and went to get another chair for him, "I see getting shot hasn't bothered your appetite any." He stated noticing her half empty plate.

"I've had nothing but hospital food for almost a month, what do you expect?"

"And here I thought that it was my cooking." He teased.

"Oh don't you worry your cooking is definitely a major part of it."

They fell into a comfortable silence while they finished eating, Max devouring her food and Logan staring at her. _'God she's beautiful, even when she eating like she hasn't seen food before.'_

Feeling his gaze on her she looked up, "What?"

Shaken out of his thoughts he cleared his throat, "Nothing sorry."

"You were watching me."

Logan blushed, "Yeah," he said reluctantly. _'Damn she's too perceptive.'_

Intrigued by his blush she continued, "Why?"

"Just thinking, that's all."

"About what?" She pushed.

"How beautiful you are." Now it was her turn to blush, she thought he was worrying about her, not that he was thinking that she was beautiful, "Don't blush Max, it's true. You are beautiful, one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen to be exact."

"Logan," she sounded pained, so he refocused he gaze back to her face. He was surprised to see tears welling in her eyes.

"Why are you crying?"

"Because of what you just said, because I miss you, because we can't be together because of my screwed up life." She was really crying now, all he wanted to do was rush up and comfort her.

"Please Max, don't cry." He was on the verge of tears himself he hated that the woman he loved was crying and he couldn't even put his arm around her and tell her it was okay.

"I'm sorry," She sniffed, "I'm just so frustrated; it's so unfair, not just to me but to you too. You deserve to be happy and I can't make you happy, especially when we can't even touch."

He moved to her side of the table and knelt in front of her, as close to her as he could get without touching her, "That's not true Max, you do make me happy. So very happy, just being with you, seeing you smile, hearing you laugh, even eating dinner with you makes me happy. As much as I would love to hold you in my arms, and kiss you, as much as I would love to take to my bed and make love to you. Just having you in my life is enough, it's better than not having you in my life at all. The only time that I really regret not being able to touch you is when you're sad or hurt. Like right now, I would give anything to be able to hold you in my arms, to tell you its okay until you stopped crying. I can't and I know that but I still would rather spend the rest of my life with you not being able to touch you, then spend one moment with someone else."

By the end of his speech they both were crying, and Logan was on the verge of breaking down and pulling her to him, death be damned he just couldn't stand her crying.

"Max please stop crying hunny it will be okay we will find a cure for this, somehow someway we will."

She looked at him, wiped her eyes and opened her mouth to say, "Logan I-" When Original Cindy walked in with her clothes.


	7. Chapter 7

As soon as Cindy walked in she knew that she was interrupting something, something important. Logan was kneeling on the floor in front of Max and they were both crying, Cindy was both embarrassed that she had walked in on something and concerned because they were both crying hysterically. "What's goin' on guys?"

They both turned to face her trying to wipe the tears from their eyes, "Nothing Boo, its aiight."

"That's a load of bull, and we both know it but if ya don't wanna talk 'bout it boo, ain't nothin' I can do 'bout it. Just brought ya some clothes, here ya go. I'll be leavin' now." She handed the clothes to Max and turned to leave.

"Hey Cindy you don't have to go, stay and have some spaghetti, Max seemed to like it."

"No that's okay hotboy, I gotta blaze stuff ta do ya know. See yas later." She turned to leave once more but was stopped by Max's voice.

"Thanks for the clothes OC, see you soon right?"

"Course boo, get better aiight?"

"Aiight."

Cindy let herself out of the apartment, and Logan turned his gaze back to Max. "Sorry about getting emotional on you, just these past few weeks have been hard."

"It's okay Logan I understand, don't worry 'bout getting emotional on me. It's nice to hear every once and a while."

Logan smiled brightly and was about to respond when Max repeated, "Every once and a while, don't start getting all mushy on me now." She laughed to let him know that it was a joke, "Believe me Logan, you don't ever need to apologize to me for telling me that you care about me. One time I would have ran away, but not anymore. And not only because I'm injured either, because we wasted too much time running from our feelings and look what happened. I don't want to have that happen again. So Logan, there's something that I need to tell you."

He looked in her eyes and saw the deep emotions she was feeling in them, "Okay Max, you can tell me anything."

Smiling she said, "You have to promise me something though."

"Sure anything."

"When I tell you, you have to promise me that you won't do anything stupid k?"

"Like what? Is this going to be some kind of I slept with Alec confession?" He had to admit that he was slightly jealous of Alec, he saved her life by giving her his blood, he could keep her safe, hell he could touch her. _'She would be so much better off with him, but for some reason she didn't want Alec, she chose me.' _

She laughed, "God no Logan you don't have to worry about that. It's something else; just promise me you won't do anything stupid okay?"

"Okay, I promise Max."

She looked deep in his eyes, praying that her eyes conveyed what she was feeling and said, "Logan I love you."


	8. Chapter 8

Tears sprung into his eyes at her confession, 'She loves me! She really loves me!' He couldn't believe it, he knew that she cared about him, but he never thought that she cared about him that much. It took every bit of strength he had to not pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless. "God Max, you don't know how long I have been waiting to hear that, or how much I just want to pull you into my arms."

"I know Logan that's why I made you promise to not do anything stupid."

"God I love you so much Max, more than you could ever know."

"Really?" She asked feeling happier than she ever had before.

"Really, God how could you not know that. You mean the world to me, hell you are my world. Did you honestly not know what you meant to me?"

"I really didn't, I'm not used to having people care about me Logan, I don't know what it looks like yet."

"God Max I wish I could show you, I wish I could pull you into my arms and show you just what being loved feels like." He was getting frustrated again, silently cursing the virus that kept them apart.

"Just looking in your eyes right now Logan, I know what it feels like. Don't worry I won't ever doubt your feelings for me again, not after I seen that look in your eyes."

With every word she spoke Logan was getting closer and closer to reaching out at touching her, standing up he said, "I'll be back in a few minutes Max."

"Where are you going?"

"I have to go collect myself for a bit, it's getting harder and harder for me to not touch you right now and before I lose control, I'm going to go try and gain some back."

"Sorry Logan I didn't mean to make it harder for you."

He turned back to look at her, "Don't ever regret telling me that you love me, ever. You have no idea how happy that made me, I won't ever regret so don't you either."

"Okay Logan, I promise I won't"

"I love you Max." he said turning to leave the room.

"I love you too Logan."


	9. Chapter 9

2 Weeks Later…

Max and Logan entered the apartment, just returning from Dr. Carr's office. It had been a month since the shooting, and she was finally healed. The scar was almost gone and she had just gotten the okay from Sam to go back to work. As much as she was happy that she was better, that she didn't have to sit in Logan's apartment all day, she was sad for the same reason, she was sad that she didn't have to stay in Logan's apartment all day. Being healed meant that she no longer had a reason to stay here all the time; it meant that she couldn't live with him anymore. It wasn't something she was looking forward to; she had grown used to being with Logan all the time and she didn't know if she could handle not seeing him all the time anymore.

Unknown to Max a cloud of depression also settled over Logan's head, it was time for her to go. He knew it wouldn't last for ever, that she would have to go home sometime, that reality had a funny way of crashing back down onto his life. But he didn't want reality to come back yet, he wanted to live in his little fantasy for a little while longer. He didn't want to give her up, but he didn't know any way to keep her at his place.

"You know Max, you don't have to go right away."

She looked at him trying to fight tears, _'he wants me to stay!'_ "I know I don't but I think it's for the best. I have to go back to work and well…"

"There's no chance of us touching if you aren't living here right?" He was sick of that excuse, "You have been living here for two weeks now Max, and we haven't touched yet. I'm still alive am I not?"

"Yes Logan but there has been a lot of close calls." She said thinking back to the other day when Logan was cooking her dinner. He was bracing himself on the counter reaching for a spice jar that was out of his reach. He should have realized that it was going to end in disaster; he should have called for her. Instead he reached up above his head and tried to balance all his weight on one arm. It worked for a minute but then, because life is like that, his arm gave out. He gave a yell as he was falling, and before she knew it Max was there to catch him. She remembered how close she came to killing him with a shudder; the only thing that saved him was that he put a sweater on that morning. "You could have died Logan; it's lucky that you were cold and were wearing a sweater. I could have killed you!"

"Yes but if you weren't here to catch me what do you think would have happened. Probably would have died anyway, seeing that I would have landed badly on the chair that would then slide out from under me so not only would I hit my head once but twice."

"What if I had of touched you though Logan?"

"Then I would have died in your arms instead of alone, I would rather that wouldn't you?"

"I would rather that you didn't die at all. It's too risky Logan, it's not worth it."

Rage spiked through him at her comment, "It's not worth it? What's not worth it Max? Our love? Is our love not worth it?"

"No, our love isn't worth you dieing Logan, nothing is!"

"I disagree; I would rather die then lose you. And you leaving or being scared about being around me would be losing you, don't you see that? Being without you is worse than death."

"Not for me Logan! Don't you see what it would do to me if you died? Don't you! It would kill me too, so I stay away, I love you from afar. It keeps you safe, it keeps you alive, that's what matters, you being alive."

"What's the point of living a life without love Max? That's not living, that's existing and I don't want to just exist anymore, I want to live!" As he said that he started to walk away, and it would have worked too, if only his exoskeleton didn't decide to malfunction. If only he didn't trip on the mat on the floor on the way to the kitchen, if only he wasn't falling forward, if only his head wasn't making a beeline toward the corner of the counter. _'This is it, all that talk about dieing and here it is. No one can survive a sharp object to the temple no one.'_ His thoughts were preparing him for death when all of a sudden his fall stopped. He opened his eyes to find himself lying on his back, looking at a hysterical Max rummaging through his pockets.

"What are you doing Max?"

"Looking for your phone."

"Why?"

"To call an ambulance."

"Why?"

"Because I touched you and you need to go to the hospital."

"You must not have touched my skin Max, because I feel fine." Logan said sitting up, cutting off her rummaging.

"Lie back down Logan you need to lie back down," She was hysterical, she couldn't breath _'so this is what hyperventilating feels like'_

"You couldn't have touched me Max, I feel fine."

"I did, I know I did. I felt it, I-I felt your skin Logan." She had waited so long to touch him again to feel her skin against hers, but it wasn't supposed to happen like this. It was supposed to be when the virus was cured, when her touch wouldn't kill him.

He sat up again and looked her in the eyes, "Max you couldn't have touched me, it's been too long since you caught me if you had of touched me I would be dead by now, or at least showing signs."

"Logan I know I touched you. You need an ambulance."

He was getting really frustrated with her know, "How Max, considering you are hell bent on proving that you touched me how do you know?"

"Because I still am," She pointed down to where her bare leg was touching his bare arm, "See."

Joy, and shock filled his eyes, "Don't you know what that means Max?"

Tears where streaming down her face now, "Yes, I know what it means, it means I've killed you."

"No Max it means we're cured!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry that it's been so long since I've updated, my computer crashed. So not only did I have nothing to update with, the next few chapters that I had written were lost… So now I have to start again. Please be patient I'll get them rewritten as fast as I can…Thanks!**

"_**No Max it means we're cured!"**_

Shock and disbelief crossed Max' face, it was impossible. They had worked so hard to find a cure and then it just decides to go away one day. No there had to be another explanation. She moved her leg from beneath his arm and stood up. "There's no way that we're cured Logan. The virus wouldn't just go away."

"Well then how do you explain us touching?"

"I-I don't know Logan but I'm sure there is an explanation, there's got to be." She wanted to believe that they were cured but she just couldn't get her hopes up and have them dashed again. It had happened too many times before. They would think that they found the cure just to have it ripped away again. It was just too hard to believe that the virus had just cured itself.

"Yes you're right there is an explanation, and we will find it. But the explanation is not going to be how the virus isn't cured but I'm still alive Max, it's going to be how the virus **is** cured." He didn't understand why Max didn't want the virus cured; did she not want to be with him? Sure she said that she loved him but that doesn't necessarily mean that she wanted to have a relationship with him. _'That's okay; if she doesn't want a relationship with me then I will have to respect that. I won't push her, if we find that the virus is indeed cured then I'll let her make the first move. I love her too much to pressure her into something that she doesn't want.'_

"How do you plan on finding this out? I mean we can't just keep testing it out until I kill you."

"We'll go back to Sam and get him to test your blood for the virus, and get his opinion."

Max agreed not because she was getting her hopes up, but because if she really did infect him the best place for him right now was the hospital. It could just be a delayed reaction after all.

"Okay but Max?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to need some help up here." He probably could get up by himself but he wanted to prove that she wasn't going to kill him.

Max sighed, "Okay Logan but I need to go get some gloves, I'll be right back." She went to the bathroom to get the gloves that Logan had bought so he could help her while she was recovering. Walking back to Logan she reached out her hand for him and helped him up. "There you go, now let's get to the hospital."


	11. Chapter 11

They had been sitting outside Sam's office for close to an hour, waiting for him to get out of surgery before Max would admit to herself that Logan was going to be okay. She was just about to tell him as much when Sam turned the corner.

"Max, Logan what's going on? I just saw you two this morning. Did something happen with your wound Max?"

"No we have another problem Sam." Max said, purposely saying the word problem, and purposely not looking at Logan while she said it."

"Well come into my office then." Sam turned and unlocked his door ushering them in. Once they were all seated he asked, "Well then what's the problem?"

"It's not a problem Sam, Max just thinks it is. You see Max touched me today, skin on skin, and as you can see I'm not dead."

"What! This is great news, so you're saying that the virus is cured. I'm so happy for you two!" Noticing the 'not so happy' look on Max' face he added, "If the virus is cured then why does Max look like you're the walking dead?"

"Because she doesn't think that the virus is really cured." Answered Max annoyed at being talked about like she wasn't there, "This is a Manitcore thing it isn't just going to go away."

"I understand your reluctance to believe it, and I am assuming that you came here to get me to run some tests." At their nods he continued, "Then I'll just get a sample of your blood Max and test it right now. If you two want to stay here and wait you can or you can go back the Logan's place and I'll give you a call when I get the results."

"Great thanks Sam, you have my cell number you'll be able to reach me on that for sure." Logan said as he got up out of the chair. He didn't want to be told that they were cured in the hospital, he would much rather find out at his place while eating a romantic dinner, or doing other things more romantic than sitting in a hospital. Also he knew that Max would never act on her emotions for the first time in front of anyone else. So they were defiantly going home…

Sam turned and walked out of his office leaving Max and Logan to lock up behind them, "Logan why are we going home-er-back to your place? Shouldn't we stay here and find out?" She was nervous of the repercussions, of the virus being cured. _'It's one thing him telling me that he loves me but that doesn't mean he actually wants to get into a relationship with someone that's not even human, and I don't want him to feel pressured into anything because he thinks he owes me or something. No I'll let him make the first move, let him decide if he wants us to be together – that is if the virus is really cured which it's probably not.'_

He smiled to himself, _'She thinks of my apartment as home!'_, "Because we will know just as fast if we are at the penthouse then if we stay at the hospital, and I don't know about you but I've had enough of hospitals for a while." His attempt at a joke got a smile from her, the first smile since they had touched earlier that day.

They sat in silence the whole way back to the penthouse, both too lost in their nervousness to notice the other. The elevator ride up was even more intense, it seemed that the closer they got the more their nerves went haywire. Both feeling the need to get away from each other before they lost control Max went to lie down and Logan went to his computer as soon as the alarm had been disarmed.

Feeling slightly guilty about being so preoccupied lately and not sticking to his usual Eyes Only schedule he decided he would work until Sam called.

Having nothing better to do and wanting to stay as far away from Logan as possible, Max went to the spare room that had been hers for the last two weeks, to take a nap. She knew that she wouldn't be able to leave until Sam called so she figured she wouldn't bother trying. She was also feeling tired, being used to less eventful days lately it didn't take her long to fall asleep.

Not long after Max had fallen asleep, the phone rang. Logan grabbed the phone off the desk beside him and answered, "Logan Cale here."

"Hi Logan it's Sam, I have good news."

Hanging up the phone with Sam, after listening to what Sam had to say Logan headed for Max' room to tell her the good news. Surprised that she didn't come out when she heard the phone ring, walking in the room he found the reason why. She was fast asleep, he wasn't surprised, she had been sleeping a lot since her accident and was used to sitting around the apartment so all this excitement probably wiped her out.

He leaned down and brushed a strand of hair out of her face, _'God how I've missed this, the feel of her skin, the softness of her hair.'_ "Max, wake up Sam just called," He said quietly so not to startle her.

Max opened her eyes to find Logan leaning down above her with his hand on her face; her first reaction was panic, then seeing the smile on his face she realized that Sam must have told him that the virus was cured. She smiled, "Logan?"

"Hey baby, guess what?"

She flushed at the word baby, not used to having him call her that, "What?"

"Sam called and the virus is cured, isn't that great! Now there's nothing stopping us from being together." He leaned down further and claimed her mouth with his in what was the most gentle but passionate kisses she had ever experienced.

After what seemed like seconds he pulled back, "Max I love you so much, I'm so glad that we can be together now." As he was talking he pulled her up into a sitting position. Turning her toward where he was kneeling on the floor he looked up into her eyes, showing her the deep emotion he was feeling. "I have something more to ask of you though Max."

She swallowed and nodded, not being able to find her voice. "Max, I love you more than anything in this world and nothing would make me happier then to spend the rest of my life with you, so…Will you marry me Max Guevara?

Tears sprung into her eyes, "Yes! Yes Logan I'll marry you!"

He pulled her into his arms for another amazing kiss; pulling back he said something she didn't hear.

"What did you say Logan?"

He repeated herself, "Max, you have to wake up I have something to tell you."

Opening her eyes she saw Logan leaning down over her, "Max, I've been trying to wake you for a while now."

Realizing that everything she just experienced was only a dream she had to fight off tears, "Sorry I was dreaming," She said not looking into his eyes, realizing that she wasn't going to be able to fight off her tears she decided she had to get out of the room to get control. "Can what you have to tell me wait for a sec, I gotta go to the bathroom." Without waiting for his answer she got up and hurried to the bathroom trying to keep her tears from falling.

She walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind her, sinking down to the floor she leaned against the wall. "It was only a dream…" she whispered to herself, "Only a dream…but it felt so real." Succumbing to her tears she sat in the bathroom and cried, she cried for her dream, she cried for the dream she so desperately wanted to be real.


	12. Chapter 12

She dried the water off her face; she had just stopped crying and was trying to get rid of the tear tracks before she went out to face Logan. She wasn't looking forward to listening to him tell her that the virus was cured, because she knew that it wouldn't go the way it had in her dream, the way she so desperately wanted it to go. She hadn't realized how much she truly loved Logan until that dream, how much she actually wanted to be his wife. She never thought that she was the type of girl to want that, a husband and a family. And maybe she wasn't that type of girl until she met Logan but he changed her, made her want to be the girl that she used to make fun of with OC. She never realized how much she had changed until she was standing in Logan's bathroom, in front of his mirror, picturing what her life would be like if she and Logan got married. She knew it would be great, better than great, her life would be amazing. But it wasn't a reality, the reality was that she was a chimera, half human and Logan would never want to marry her let alone want her to have his children. _'God wouldn't I love to have his children, to hold a little baby in my arms, to be a mother, like Tinga. But I wouldn't be like Tinga, because Logan knows about me I didn't keep it a secret and I would never leave him or our baby like Tinga did. It wasn't her fault she that she left them, I'm not being fair to her, she thought that it was for the best. But still I would never leave my family behind.'_ She needed to stop thinking like that it was just going to end up hurting her more when she walked out of the bathroom and Logan didn't throw himself at her and ask her to be his wife. Gathering up all her courage and putting all the discipline lessons from Manticore to good use, she walked out of the bathroom to face the hardest thing she would ever face.

She walked out of the bathroom to find Logan leaning against the room divider waiting for her, "Max are you okay you've been in there for close to an hour?"

"Yeah Logan I'm fine, just not feeling all that great."

"Well I have some good news that might make you feel better, why don't we go to the living room and I'll tell you everything."

They walked into the living room, and sat down on the couch. Max unconsciously sitting further away from Logan than normal, proximity to the man you love when your heart is about to be broken was not a good thing.

"Well while you were asleep Sam called and it seems that because of all the blood transfusions Alec gave you the virus was wiped out of your system. You had lost so much blood and Sam had to transfuse you so many times that you don't have any of your original blood left. Alec's overpowered yours and killed the virus." By the end of his explanation his hands had migrated over to hers, he was so wrapped up in his story that he didn't notice. When it was over and he realized what he was doing he snapped his hands away, _'Damn Cale you said you didn't want to rush or push her so you hold her hands, genius._'

Tears welled up in Max' eyes when Logan ripped his hands away only cementing her earlier worry that he didn't want her, trying to think of a reason to get out of there she said, "Well I guess I gotta go thank Alec, see ya." It wasn't the most graceful of exits but she had to get out there before she broke down in front of him.

"Max wait! Why don't you seem like you are happy that the virus is cured?"

"No I am happy, it's great. Now we don't always have to worry about accidentally touching. It's just that Alec caused this and I needed to thank him for saving my life anyway and well now I just have more the thank him for. So I'm gonna go you know…say thank you. See ya later."

"Max you can't go."

She was getting annoyed now, _'Why can't he just let me leave, he doesn't want me he's made that clear he doesn't need to make it any worse.'_ "Why can't I go Logan? Sam said that I was fine now; you've told me what you needed to tell me. Why do I still have to stay here?" She didn't mean for it to come out so mean but she was hurting and she didn't want him to see just how much.

Logan flinched, _'I didn't realize that she was so sick of me. Maybe me keeping her here wasn't a good idea.'_ "Sorry Max I didn't realize that you wanted away from here, from me, so much. But you can't leave tonight because it's 12:00am and all the checkpoints are closed."

"Damn it!" She swore louder then what she meant too, and flinched at the look it caused Logan to make.

"Why are you so eager to get out of here all of a sudden Max? Are you really that sick of me?" Logan was hurt, he honestly thought that the only thing standing in their way was the virus and now that's gone but she still didn't want him.

"No Logan I'm not sick of you I – I –I just –."

"You just what Max?"

"I just need to get out; I've been cooped up for so long I'm starting to go stir crazy." It was only a partial lie, "Me wanting to leave has nothing to do with you, I promise." _'Okay so a complete lie, but it's better than telling him that you love him and want him and him looking at you with disgust.'_

"You promise that it has nothing to do with me." He didn't want to lose her over something that he could possibly fix.

"I promise," She walked over and gave him a quick hug, and instantly regretted it, then said, "I just need to get out, I'll be back in a couple hours okay. Don't wait up."

She smiled at him and turned to the door.

She had just closed the door and sighed with relief when the door opened again. She turned to find Logan putting on his coat and holding his keys. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"I was coming to look for you."

"Why?"

"Because I don't buy what you told me earlier and I'm not going to let you walk out of my life without trying to fix whatever I've done."

"Logan you haven't done anything, it's not your fault."

"Then come back in here and tell me what's wrong. If it's not my fault then you shouldn't have any problem telling me about it."

She sighed she really didn't have the energy to get into this tonight, she was about to try to make a getaway when she looked into his eyes. What she saw there surprised her; she saw just how much Logan really did want to know what was wrong and how much he thought that it was his fault. At that moment she decided that she at least owed him an explanation, she loved him enough to hurt herself to make him happy. "Okay let's go back inside and I'll tell you."

Logan smiled a bright smile that made her insides melt, _'God why can he do that to me? It's not fair, he smiles like that and I want to give him anything he wants.'_

"Great, I thought that it was going to take more convincing that it did." He was happy that it didn't, the fact that she didn't resist talking to him about her feelings gave him some hope that she did want a relationship. After all aren't relationships about trust?

"Yeah well I'm tired," Max said attempting to act causal, even though she didn't feel it.

"Must be really tired," Logan joked back.

They walked back into the living room, and sat on the couch, "Seems like this is where we're having all of our important conversations lately." Logan joked again.

She only smiled; she was preparing herself for the humiliation that followed her confession.

"So Max what's going on? There was a time when you were excited at the possibility of the virus being cured and now that it is you don't even want to be in the same room as me. What happened? What has changed? Have your feelings for me changed? Because you know that if they did it would be okay, I'd still be your friend, I would still want to be in your life."

"Do you want my feelings for you to have changed?" She asked, he was making it easier for her, and she didn't think he even knew it.

"God no Max, I love you why would I want you to not love me anymore?"

"Because maybe you didn't love me anymore?" She said feeling every bit her young age.

"Why wouldn't I love you anymore? Do you honestly think that the feelings that I have for you could go away? Just like that?" Logan couldn't believe it, _'She's having doubts about me loving her, her! I would have to be stupid not to.'_

"I don't know, because you have finally realized what I am and maybe most importantly what I'm not"

"What aren't you Max?" He couldn't understand where all her doubts were coming from.

"Human, I'm not human."

Logan's head shot up in surprise, "Yes you are, you are every bit as human as I am. You're every bit as human and the people out there, more so even."

Tears welled in her eyes, "But I'm not human Logan, I was made in a lab, I'm a science experiment."

"Well if that is true then Manticore did something right, because I couldn't imagine anything more perfect." He said looking deep into her eyes, he reached up and cupped her face, "There's nothing inhuman about you, nothing. And there is nothing wrong with you because you were "made in a lab" the only thing wrong with that is how much you have missed out on because of it. You don't know what love is and how to recognize it when someone loves you more than anything. That is the only thing wrong with you being made in a lab Max, and believe me it's nothing serious, because I get the chance of showing you the things that you have never known before, like how to feel loved like you are the only thing that matters in this world. Because Max it's true, you're loved that way. You mean the world to me, nothing in the world is worth while anymore unless you are in the world with me, enjoying the things in the world with me. You make my world worth while, and don't you ever forget that!"

Tears where streaming down her face now, she never realized that he cared so much for her. The emotional side of her just wanted to accept that he loved her and fall into his arms forever, but the logical side of her, the side of her that has kept her safe all these years had questions to ask first and they would not be denied. "Why? Why do you love me so much?"

"I've told you this before remember, because there is no one in this world like you, no one that cares as much as you or tries to hide that they care so much like you. There's no one in this world with the grace or the brains or the beauty that you have. No one in this world compares to you. And that's not just because you were made to be that way. You were made to be a solider to care about your unit and no one other than your unit and here you are with me saving people you don't even know. Befriending people like me, or Cindy or the other guys. You are so much more than Manticore, and there's one thing about you that matters more than anything else. And it's something that Manticore can't take credit for; it's your heart and the sense of equality that comes with a heart like yours. You don't care if people are weak, or strong, whole or broken; you care about them all the same. And you have a hard time admitting that because Manticore bred it into you to not care, but see in caring you beat them. If you didn't do anything else you beat them just by caring, even before you burnt down Manticore, you destroyed them. Because you did the one thing they wanted you to be incapable of, you cared. So really there's no way to not love you Max, at least not for me. I love you Max and I don't want you to ever doubt that, I love you so much and I want nothing more that to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Really? You really want to be in a relationship with me? Really want to spend your life with me?" She was shocked, maybe this wasn't how her dream went, but that was okay because this was better, this was real. And that is better than any dream any day.


	13. Chapter 13

"Are you kidding? Being with you Max would be a dream come true, nothing could compare or make me happier." Logan knew that he said that he wouldn't rush or push her, that he would let her come to him. But he couldn't hold it in anymore, he could barely contain himself on the risk of his death, now when that wasn't in the way it seemed that it was impossible to keep his feelings to himself. Noticing that Max seemed to be getting more upset by the second he thought that he said something wrong, "What's wrong Max did I do something?"

"No it's not you."

"Then what's wrong, you're crying and it doesn't look like happy tears."

"I just feel guilty."

"Why?"

"Because I doubted you, I doubted your feelings for me. I thought that you didn't want me and I feel bad for that because you don't deserve that. You haven't done anything to make me doubt you but still I did."

"Oh Max, don't feel bad for having doubts, everyone does. To be honest I doubted that you wanted me. I wasn't going to try to start a relationship with you, I was going to let you come to me because I thought that you didn't want to and couldn't face the rejection."

"I want a relationship with you Logan." It was the first time she was completely honest about what she wanted, and it felt freeing. What surprised her most was how safe it felt, like she could say anything to Logan and things would still be okay.

"I want a relationship with you too Max," Logan said and immediately laughed at himself for the corny repetition of her words. Encouraged by Max' echoing laughter he added, "Well don't we sound like a couple of teenagers."

"Hey I'm supposed to sound like a teenager." Max was surprised at how well they got back into their usual comfortable banter.

"Not for very much longer, you should have to one coming up soon."

"Yeah but see I never did choose one." That wasn't the complete truth, she chose one but she hadn't told Logan. She would have to tell him, but now it didn't seem too bad. _'A few months ago and I would have died before I told him I chose the day we met for the day I was born, if that doesn't scream I'm secretly in love with you I don't know what does. It's a fitting date though, I never really started living until I met him, I was alive sure, but I only existed. Can't really call that living.'_

"You never chose a birthday? Why? I thought that we talked about how you needed one." Logan was astounded everyone should have a birthday and he thought that he made that clear and he thought that she had agreed.

"Well I guess I kinda did choose one, but I just haven't told anyone it yet."

"Why haven't you told anyone, you're birthday isn't supposed to be a secret."

"Well it's kind of embarrassing." She couldn't believe that she was actually going to tell him.

"Why is the day you chose for your birthday embarrassing? What did you chose?" Logan didn't know why she would be embarrassed about her birthday.

"It's March 15th." Max said not meeting his eyes.

"March 15th…that's the day we -" Logan looked up at her, "You chose the day we met for your birthday?"

She nodded not brave enough to look for his reaction, _'Could I be anymore of a girl? Choosing the day a met some guy for my birthday. Well guess he's not some guy, it is Logan, but still. I'm supposed to be a super soldier and my damn world revolves around him.'_

"Why?" Logan asked, it wasn't that he wouldn't have done the same thing if he had been in her situation. They day that they met was the day he really started living again, so he could make sense of him choosing that day to be his birthday, but Max? She definitely didn't "start living" just because she met him. _'Maybe it's just a significant date, one that she already remembers. It would look more normal to be able to instantly recall her birthday when asked instead of having to think about it. Choosing a date that she already knows was a smart idea.'_

"Umm…because that's the day we met…" She said barely above a whisper. She had lost her nerve realizing how pathetic it would sound to him.

'_Did I hear her right? She really did pick our anniversary as her birthday because it_**is**_ our anniversary?'_ "What did you say?" He figured he'd get her to repeat herself just incase she didn't say it and he was just hearing what he wanted to.

"I said." She gathered her courage once more and looked him in the eyes, "Because it's the day that we met."

"You chose March 15th for you birthday because it's the day that we met?" She nodded so he continued, "Why?"

"Because if any day I've spent in this world was like the day I was born it would be the day we met."

Logan's mind reeled, "What are you saying Max." He knew that this was obviously hard for her to say but he needed to get all the facts before his wishful mind came to conclusions that weren't the truth.

"I'm saying that the day I met you my life really begun Logan, before you all I did was run and hide. I kept everyone at a distance so when I had to run it wouldn't hurt that bad. I looked out for me and only me and then I met you. And you broke through all of my defenses and you made me care, not only about you, or about my friends, but even strangers. You changed me; you made me a better person, simply because you let someone like me in your life without even a thought. You didn't judge me, you didn't expect anything of me, and you let me be me. Even though you knew what I am you still didn't judge me. There's no one in this world like you and because you let me into your world you made me a better person. So the day I met you really was my birthday, I am the person that I am now because of that day, and if there's ever a reason to celebrate anything it's that."

Logan was surprised when he felt tears in his own eyes, "Max I didn't make you a better person, that person was in you always. I just made sure you knew that it was okay to let that person out."

Max leaned forward and took Logan's face in both of her hands, "Doesn't matter if she was inside all the time or if you made her from scratch. I like this Max, and I never would have met her if I hadn't of met you. And for that I can never repay you, but there is something that I can do."

"What's that?"

"I can love you." Max said with a smile, while she leaned forward. Their lips met in their first kiss since the virus, and it was better than their actual first kiss, because they both knew that nothing was going to come between them ever again.

This was it, the real thing, Max and Logan. Nothing had ever been sweeter and nothing had ever been more real. They both knew their lives wouldn't be easy, but it was worth it. There was nothing separating them this time, they would fight for their love and anyone that came up against them would fall.

A/N: I know that Max didn't really pick their anniversary as her birthday but I think that it is a fitting date so decided to use it. Sorry if it's not to you're liking. Also I can't remember what their anniversary was, I don't even know if they mention the actual date so I've chosen my own day.


End file.
